David Morse Protects a Pregnant Migrant in the Trailer for Modern Western Thriller BROKEN LAND
David Morse steps into rugged modern Western territory with Broken Land, a Texas-set drama that looks like it’s aiming for something more emotional and character-driven than your standard border thriller.
The newly released trailer from Well Go USA teases a tense story built around isolation, family conflict, and unexpected compassion in the middle of unforgiving ranch country.
The film marks the feature directorial debut of J.T. Walker, who previously worked on several short films before taking on this project.
The story centers on Carson Tidwell, played by Morse, a rancher living alone on a rural Texas property who simply wants to keep to himself.
Things spiral after he accidentally shoots a pregnant migrant woman crossing through his land. Instead of turning her in, Carson chooses to hide and protect her while she recovers, putting him directly at odds with his estranged son, a Border Patrol agent played by Bill Heck.
Newcomer Jaklyn Bejarano stars as the injured migrant woman, and from the footage, her relationship with Carson becomes the emotional core of the movie.
While there have been plenty of films tackling migrant stories set along the Texas border, Broken Land appears to approach the material with empathy and humanity instead of turning it into simple political drama.
The official synopsis reads: “Carson Tidwell (David Morse) wants nothing more than to be left alone on his rural Texas ranch. When he accidentally shoots a pregnant migrant worker crossing his land, he feels compelled to protect her from his estranged Border Patrol agent son (Bill Heck). As she recovers, a bond forms that ultimately heals them both.”
Walker co-wrote the screenplay with Christopher Young, and the film was produced by Sharri Hefner, Houston Hill, George Sledge, and Walker himself.
The trailer has a gritty, stripped-down atmosphere that feels very much in line with modern neo-Westerns, but there’s also an emotional pull running through it that gives it some extra weight.
Morse especially looks great here. He has always been excellent at playing worn-down men carrying years of regret, and this role seems tailor-made for him.
Broken Land will debut direct-to-VOD on June 12, 2026.